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Family therapy will be given for a total of 24 hours over the course of 12 months.

Other Name: FBT

Active Comparator: 2

Those adolescents receiving individual therapy

Behavioral: Ego-Oriented Individual Psychotherapy

Individual therapy will be given for a total of 24 hours over the course of 12 months.

Other Name: EOIP

Detailed Description:

In adolescents, anorexia nervosa severely affects physical, emotional, and social development. Despite the seriousness and prevalence of adolescent anorexia nervosa, few studies have focused on the effectiveness of various types of psychotherapy treatment. Family-based therapy may be an effective approach to treating adolescent anorexia nervosa. This study will compare the effectiveness of family-based therapy versus ego-oriented individual psychotherapy for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. Simultaneously, it will examine potential predictors, mediators, and moderators of weight gain, psychological concerns about weight and shape, and changes in family functioning.

Participants in this open-label study will be randomly assigned to receive one of two types of therapy: family-based therapy or ego-oriented individual psychotherapy. Both types of therapy will be given for a total of 24 hours over the course of 12 months. Physical and psychological assessments will be completed during study visits at baseline, immediately post-treatment, six months post-treatment, and one year post-treatment. Amount of weight gain will be evaluated, along with changes in weight and body shape concerns, as measured by the Eating Disorder Examination.

Eligibility

Information from the National Library of Medicine

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Ages Eligible for Study:

12 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Meets DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa

Lives with at least one parent who is willing to participate

Medically stable

Adequate transportation to clinic

Proficient at speaking, reading, and writing English

Exclusion Criteria:

Currently undergoing treatment or taking medication that may affect eating or weight

Contacts and Locations

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00149786